MAY 21, iai4. 



The Florists' Review 



31 



CARNATIONS IN THE SOUTH. 



How to Grow Them Successfully. 



It might be well for me to. preface 

 this article by stating that I do not ex- 

 pect any grower to place unquestioning 

 confidence in the cultural methods which 

 I here describe, for, though I have 

 found these methods of treatment to be 

 the best of the several that I have put 

 to the test, yet the different conditions 

 at different establishments may have a 

 tendency to produce widely different re- 

 sults from the use of the same system. 

 I shall be satisfied if my suggestions 

 receive fair consideration and are not 

 condemned without a trial. 



The great part which the carnation 

 plays iu the florists' trade is paralleled 

 by no other flower as yet. It brings the 

 bread and butter to a multitude of 

 homes. On the other hand, it often 

 plays havoc at times. when it is in great 

 abundance and is cheapened by street 

 sales. But, on the whole, it is the most 

 reliable crop for those who have lim- 

 ited glas?< space. In the warm southern 

 states it is much in demand for the 

 simple reason that it is comparatively 

 little grown. In many cases, when car- 

 nations are abundant in the northern 

 cities, they are retailed at ^1 or more 

 per dozen throughout the south, wher- 

 ever the florists' trade is in competent 

 hands, even though the flowers are often 

 in a shaky condition after having been 

 shipped, in warm weather, from distant 

 points. Of course the shippers are care- 

 ful about the selection and packing of 

 these flowers and are repaid in that they 

 get a good price for them. 



The Southern Grower's Troubles. 



The supposed reason for the scarcity 

 of carnations here, in the south, is that 

 it is difficult to grow them here. A few 

 express the view that the soil is not 

 adaptable, though that is the least rea- 

 son for not growing them. Others are 

 convinced that it is impossible to be 

 successful where stem-rot is almost sure 

 to be in evidence in spite of all precau- 

 tions as to soil and watering in this 

 warm climate. All of the diseases pre- 

 vailing in the colder climates are here 

 to be found, and perhaps more, but stem- 

 rot is the most troublesome and will 

 soon be dominant if precaution is not 

 a go.verning idea in the grower 's cra- 

 nium. At times this disease is indeed 

 embarrassing. Endless care must be ex- 

 ercised against this fungus, for though 

 the plants may seem to hem the best 

 of vigor throughout the early part of 

 the season, when the warm days of late 



winter and spring come on they may 

 show only too plainly that they are 

 affected, and it will then be painful to 

 find them wilted, with several buds and 

 blooms. It is too late then to do any- 

 thing that will bring the disease under 

 control. 



Throughout the south, cuttings can 

 be taken from outdoor plants any time 

 (luring the month of^ November. The 

 cuttings will be in excellent condition 

 at this time, and the only necessary 

 care in taking them is to notice that 

 they are takei^ from healthy plants. 



The Editor Is pleased 

 ^ehen a Reader 

 presents his Ideas 

 on any subject treated In 



eVB'w 



As experience is the beet 

 teacher, so do \ee 

 learn fastest by an 

 exchanse of experiences. 

 Many valuable points 

 are brousht out 

 by discussion. 



Good penmanship, spellintr and 

 rrammar. though desirable, are not 

 necessary. Write as you would talk 

 when doing your best. 



WK SHAIX BB GLAD 

 TO HKAR raOM YOU 



When cuttings are taken from outdoor 

 plants, a larger percentage of them root 

 than of those taken from indoor plants. 



Rooting the Cuttings. 



After these cuttings have been taken, 

 either from field or house plants, they 

 should be carefully trimmed. The little 

 bottom leaves should be taken clean off 

 and part of the tops from the large 

 ones, so that when in the sand bed they 

 will not hinder the circulation of air. 

 Care should also be tak6n that the fiber 

 remaining at the stem end be cut away. 

 These cuttings, ag they are gone over 

 one by one, are thrown into a bucket 

 , containing a light solution of ammoni- 



acal carbonate of copper; the reason for 

 this will be explained farther on. 



The rooting percentage will depend 

 considerably on the attention the propa- 

 gator gives them. If the weather is 

 unsuitable, the propagator must be pre- 

 pared to overcome the unfavorable con- 

 ditions. The climatic conditions here, 

 in southwestern Texas, may be consid- 

 ered an example of the worst conditions 

 possible in carnation propagation. Be- 

 yond a doubt, the weather in this part 

 of our country is the extreme for un- 

 favorableness. The propagator must be 

 at once painstaking in preventing wilt- 

 ing and in preventing damping off. To 

 do this, in days when steady, hot winds 

 blow, he must resort sometimes to meth- 

 ods which at first thought seem unnat- 

 ural and antagonistic to the life of the 

 plant, and, if the methods seem unnat- 

 ural, he must be careful that he does 

 not overdo them. 



Protection from Hot Breezes. 



During days when hot, brisk breezes 

 are blowing, the advisable, treatment 

 for the propagating house is to close the 

 ventilators completely; spray the cut- 

 tings and cover them with newspapers; 

 if the wind still blows at night, leave 

 them so and open the ventilators slightly. 

 The house must at all times be densely 

 shaded. This can be accomplished by 

 stretching sheeting four feet wide over- 

 head. This sheeting will also serve the 

 purpose of protecting the cutting bench 

 from draughts from the open ventilators. 

 In the effort to keep these cuttings 

 from wilting during windy weather, 

 some oversight, in the way of keeping 

 them covered or covering them when 

 they are too wet, may start fungous dis- 

 ease. The advisable thing to do during 

 a hot breeze, after the cuttings have 

 been watered, is to leave them uncov- 

 ered for a time so that the water drops 

 will evaporate from the foliage; then 

 cover them so that the papers will hang 

 over the bench. 



Having planted these cuttings in the 

 sand, the point in view is to give them 

 close attention in watering, spraying and 

 protection from the hot winds, if there 

 are any, and at the same time to keep 

 them as cool as possible. 



In southwestern Texas it is sometimes 

 necessary to leave the cuttings covered 

 for two days at a time; in other seasons 

 it may not be necessary to cover them 

 at all throughout the rooting period. In 

 this part of our country the covering 

 of the cuttings and the applying of 

 water are truly the tasks that require 

 the most painstaking care. The quan- 



